Perfect for fans of Justin A. Reynolds and Talia Hibbert, this comedic romp explores the social hierarchy of high school, the ego of a teenage boy raised in a culture marred by toxic masculinity, and the meaning of “the truth will set you free.”

As the grandson of a late, great action star, Lionel Honeycutt III knows all about heroics. Not that any of Grandpa’s genes were passed down to him; Lionel is solidly a Background Character in the social hierarchy of his high school. But when a fire at a pet store has Lionel cast as the brave teen who helped everyone escape, Lionel can finally live up to the family name.

Honestly, though…Lionel isn’t sure he did any saving, despite smoky security footage that shows someone who could be him ushering victims to safety. But Lionel blacked out before he even exited the store. He keeps this minor detail to himself as everyone else—from social media influencers to his longtime crush—heralds him a hero.

As Lionel’s popularity grows, so does his anxiety about his sorta-lie. Between reporters wanting to interview him about the incident, catching feelings for his longtime rival, and an anonymous source who somehow knows more about the incident than Lionel would like, Lionel starts to wonder if the truth will really set you free…or cost him everything.

• Fake Hero: Lionel might be the town’s new hero after the pet store fire, but he blacked out during the rescue. Now he has to keep up the lie, even if he doesn’t remember a thing.
• Social Media Fame: When security footage goes viral, Lionel is thrust into the spotlight, gaining millions of views, a famous crush, and the one thing he always wanted: a reputation.
• Coming of Age: Living in the shadow of his action-star grandfather was never easy, but Lionel is about to discover that being a real man has nothing to do with the family name.
• Unlikely Romance: As if lying to the entire town wasn’t stressful enough, he’s also catching feelings for Mickey, his longtime rival who knows him—and his secrets—better than anyone.